


Altered Time

by Hayleekins



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-22
Updated: 2016-04-04
Packaged: 2018-05-22 16:53:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6087355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hayleekins/pseuds/Hayleekins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something's gravely wrong in the world. No, not the war. This war was always going to happen eventually. There are little things, shifts in time that can be felt by few individuals. Someone's been meddling with time itself, so that Lily Evans would never be a part of the wizarding world. What this individual didn't consider is that somethings, in time, cannot be changed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James Potter and Lily Johnston have never met. In fact, they've only seen each other once, across the bar, and yet there's an immediate connection...

“Something in this world isn’t right. Well, that’s rather vague. There are many things in this world that aren’t right, but there’s something else, something new. There has been some shift in the universe, something that has thrown everything off-balance. Something was supposed to happen, many years ago, but it never happened; it was stopped before it had a chance to grow into something beautiful. Something that would grow into our salvation. Hope isn’t dead, no. It’s been changed, molded into something that it shouldn’t be. Time itself has been warped, altering the world we currently know to be true. Something isn’t right, something isn’t right…” She trailed off, muttering the last few words in repetition. She sat in silence for a moment, her eyes remaining out of focus and her pupils dilated. She shook herself out of it a moment later, her body trembling. She looked back at the man sitting in front of her, as if it was the first time she had seen him.

“Did you hear it too?” She asked, her voice weaker than it had just been. She sounded almost dream like. “Did you hear the voices?”

“Yes my dear Astrid,” The man said, running his hand through his long, white beard. He looked very deep in thought, the wheels clearly turning inside his head.

“The universe speaks through me, and I in turn see through her. In those moments, I am blinded to the mortal world, and I am permitted to see through her eyes; I see all that is and was, the way of the world, the mysteries of life. And then I am pulled back here, unable to remember anything. I just hope that my testimony, the voices in my head, have provided you with more clarity than I have.”

The older man hummed softly, gazing intently at the elderly woman in front of him. “You truly are a legend of sorts, Astrid Omne. Your gift spreads light to even the darkest corners of time. It’s been a pleasure of mine to meet you.” His blue eyes twinkled.

“The pleasure is all mine,” The woman said softly. Her hands were wrinkled and gnarled, but that didn’t stop her from reaching out to the man in front of her. They grasped hands, and the man was surprised at the strength of her grip. “Albus Dumbledore. A legend of your own time, I should think.” She smiled knowingly, and Dumbledore chuckled to himself.

“The greatest keeper of secrets that the universe has ever known,” Dumbledore praised softly, smiling. He stood, and thanked the older woman genuinely. He parted her room with a great heaviness on his mind, and the smile was nowhere to be found.

* * *

 

James Potter stands amid a crowd of his peers, most of them his age if not slightly older. He recognizes a few faces that he hadn’t seen since Hogwart’s graduation ceremony the previous summer. Since then, he had been training furiously to join the ranks of the underground magical network of resistance; the Dark Lord’s worst nightmare. The Order of the Phoenix. This was their official inauguration, and James stood side-by-side with his best mates; Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew.

The ceremony was short, simply an official statement that these young people were swearing to fight for the good cause, that they would be willing to sacrifice their own safety for the good of others, that they would be sworn to secrecy. James was ecstatic; it was a moment he had been waiting for ever since graduation. After the ceremony was over, James slapped Sirius on the back.

“What do you think mate? You’re officially sworn enemies of your whole entire family.”

“I feel fucking fantastic,” Sirius said with a large grin. “It’s what I’ve been trying to do my whole entire life. I think I may cry from pure joy!” The boys laughed heartily.

“They’d put you back on the family tree if they knew,” Remus quipped, and Sirius raised an eyebrow. “Simply so they could try and blast you off again.” Sirius cackled.

“Now listen mates,” James said, standing in front of his three best friends. “This is an important moment of our lives. This is us, taking a stand for what really matters. And I think that we’ve all earned ourselves a drink!” His announcement earned a cry of agreement from each of the boys, and they decided to go to the nearest pub for a drink. They weren’t expected to arrive for Order meetings until the morning, so that night was intended for celebrations.

They debated on heading to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink, but Remus suggested a small pub around the corner. No one had been there yet, but Remus had heard from his girlfriend that it was a nice place with cheap beer. They all agreed on the place, and set out for a nice drink among friends. Although they celebrated like it was the best night of their lives, they all knew the other reason they were drinking; after tonight, they probably would never feel this safe again.

It was a muggle bar, but surprisingly nice. It wasn’t too busy, just one other small party celebrating some occasion in the corner. James bought the first round of drinks for his mates, and they sat around a table talking and reminiscing. Sirius recanted stories of their Hogwarts days, and they laughed as he over exaggerated details that they all knew too well. James cast a spare glance at the party in the corner, and one woman in particular caught his eye.

She was beautiful, there was no denying that. Her red hair was partially pulled back, making it easy to see her stunning green eyes. She was laughing about something, and he could hear the melody of it from where he was sitting. She was positively captivating. And then she looked over at him, catching his gaze instantly.

Time seemed to slow down as soon as green met hazel. He saw her and for a moment he recognized her from some other part of his life; some memory that he had never had before. He remembered those green eyes flashing angrily at him before she slapped him across the face. He even felt the ghost-sting where her hand made contact. He remembered her eyes dancing and sparkling as they both sat upside-down on the common room sofa, their feet dangling over the top of the couch while their heads nearly touched the floor. The reflection of the fireplace was dancing across her hair as it splayed out onto the floor beneath her, and James had wanted to kiss her.

She broke the connection, looking away quickly. Sirius was still talking, and it was as if only mere seconds had passed, when those memories had seemed to last a lifetime. He looked away from the girl, feeling a strange knotting sensation in his gut; something about this situation just wasn’t right. He tried to pay attention to the rest of the conversation, but he found it hard to focus. He tried to recall the memories, the pictures that had flown before his eyes as soon as he had looked at the girl, but they weren’t there anymore. They had never really been there to begin with, after all.

He finished his drink, and was quick to order another one.

* * *

 

Before the odd encounter at the engagement party earlier that night, Lily would have described herself as immensely happy. She couldn’t think of ever having been happier. She had loving parents, a great group of friends, and she was now officially engaged to the love of her life; things couldn’t be more perfect.

And then it had happened. She wasn’t sure what had drawn her to the boy; he wasn’t being excessively loud or doing anything to draw her attention to him. She just had this urge inside of her, and the next thing she knew, she was staring into the eyes of a complete stranger. But he wasn’t a stranger, was he? He had seemed so… familiar. Something about the encounter sat uncomfortably heavy inside of her, but she tried to wave it off as engagement jitters. She was sure that it’d be gone by morning, along with any other thoughts about black-haired gits.

She woke up the next morning feeling refreshed, and yet the mysterious stranger was still on her mind. It seemed like his face was imprinted in her memory. Those damned eyes behind those stupid square glasses. Lily had to admit to herself that he was attractive. But so what? She was in love with Eddy. He had been her high school sweetheart. She wanted to marry him, for goodness sakes! What good did she have, thinking about some other man? She shook all those thoughts out of her head before heading downstairs.

She was currently living with her parents still, although she and Eddy had plans of moving into their own place before long. Not that she didn’t love living with her parents; quite the opposite, in fact. David and Helen Johnston were loving, kind parents who treated Lily amazingly. They didn’t spoil the girl by any means, but she was the only child they were capable of having. They had adopted her when she was only a few months old, after finding out that they weren’t able to have any biological children. They loved her just the same though. She had a splendid childhood, filled with many happy memories.

Of course, she’d find a few odd things would happen to her, things that no one could explain. Occasionally she’d find that she’d have a second portion of dessert appear after she had already eaten her first. One time, her hair had grown five inches longer overnight, after some rotten boy at school had trimmed some off. Her parents called these magical happenstances, little bits of miracles that just meant that Lily was truly a special little girl. Lily didn’t think much of this, had assumed as children do, that this must happen to most children. As time goes by, the magical miracles happen less and less, and Lily never notices.

Today was the first day Lily had thought about those little doses of magic in a long while. She wondered if this was truly common for most children, or if they were simply over-imaginations of a young child with a free mind. She smiled softly as she poured herself a bowl of cereal, thinking that she really did have an overactive imagination when she was young. She once imagined that she could fly straight off the swing set, if she swung high enough! She waved the thoughts away, looking at the time. Eddy was going to be here in an hour. She ate quickly and went to go shower.

Edwin Parker was a fine gentleman. The two had met in high school, when Lily was seventeen. He was handsome, with blond hair was always kept meticulously clean. She loved that about him, the way he looked so clean-cut. He was intelligent, one of the brightest students in the class. And back then, he always knew how to make her smile and blush. Who would have thought that only a year and a half later, the two would be engaged to marry? It was absurd, and Lily wouldn’t have believed it if she didn’t have the proof resting on her finger. Edwin came from a relatively wealthy family, and the sizable rock on her finger would prove just that. Lily definitely didn’t love him for his wealth, but she had to admit that the lavish ring made her very happy.

Lily showers quickly and puts on her favourite yellow jumper. Paired with her dark jeans, she thinks she looks like the perfect splash of sunshine for this wintery day. Edwin’s knocking at the door, making polite conversation with Lily’s mother. Her parent’s adore Eddy, and wholeheartedly approve of the wedding plans. Her father occasionally mumbles that she’s too young to make a decision like that, but he knows that his daughter is happy, and that’s what really matters.

Lily kisses her mother’s cheek on her way out the door, promising to be home before dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all!  
> So this is the first chapter of an AU I've been thinking about for a while. There are a few more chapters to come, and I understand that this one was probably a little slow to start with! The next one will hopefully be a little longer, and a little more interesting. Comments and critiques are more than welcome, I'm always looking for ways to improve my writing! Thanks, and happy writing.
> 
> \- Hayleekins


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six months have passed since that glance in a bar, and James and Lily's lives have continued to grow, very separate from one another. Of course, that's due to change soon...

It’s been six months since the day James and his friends became official Order members. His first mission had been two weeks after that, and while it was successful on all fronts, James was left shaken. His partner, a girl named Olive, had nearly been killed while they were out. She was left with a broken arm that was easily healed, but James still couldn’t shake the feeling of Death lingering around the corner.

The feeling sticks with him, even six months later. He’s been on many more mission since then, with many closer calls and some that were far less successful. James hadn’t worked with Olive since then, but was still distraught three months ago when he had heard of her death. Her whole crew had been slaughtered, leaving the Order four members shorter. The casualties were starting to pile up and James counted himself lucky that he, Remus, Sirius and Peter were all still alive.

The marauders never worked together, not since James’ forth mission a few months ago. The whole operation had gone south when James had been captured. The death eaters were taking him in for questioning, and Sirius had nearly ruined everything by jumping out and ambushing the crew. They were lucky they managed to apprehend them all, barely getting away alive. Both men suffered plenty of cuts and bruises, leaving them permanently marked by the scarring. While they both saw the mission as a success, their superiors had seen their partnership as a liability.

The last mission that James had been on had more riding on it than usual. He knew that he was under scrutiny ever since he applied for Moody’s division, and he was determined for the mission to be successful. It was, in a sense. They had gotten the intel that he was looking for, and had stopped an ambush of death eaters in the process, saving over a dozen innocent lives. James had been attacked in the process, leaving a large gash from his temple to his jaw on the left side. He had patched himself up quickly, but had done a messy job of it. He needed new stitches once he returned to home base, and was left with an awfully ugly scar. He was the lucky one though; Nelson, a man two years James’ senior, had been killed in action. James had watched him die, and got revenge for his friend. He couldn’t remember what curse he cast, but the image of the bloody and mangled death eater stuck with him…

He got the news two days later. He made it in. Moody wanted _him_. James was in shock, he couldn’t believe it.

“I’m really not surprised,” Sirius remarked, visiting James while he was still in the hospital ward. James had broken a few ribs during the mission, and the healer was adamant that he was not leaving bed until he was back to 100%. “How could Moody say no?”

“Very easily, I’ve been told.” James said, shaking his head. “I still can’t believe it. It’s not official yet though, I go for an interview with Moody this afternoon, if this bloody healer will clear my leave. If I can convince him I’m right for his team, then I’ll start on Monday.” Sirius could tell that although he was doing his best to hide it, his best friend was nervous as hell.

“You’ll kill that interview. Moody may be a tough egg to crack, but you _know_ that you’re a perfect fit for his team. Moody will see that too, trust me.”

“Thanks Padfoot,” James said with a smile. “I still don’t understand why you never applied. I’m sure Moody would be glad to have you, with your mission records. You’ve been far more successful than me!”

Sirius barked out laughing. “You’ve got to be kidding me Prongs. We both know that you’re probably the most talented field operative. That’s okay, I’m still the most handsome.” James laughed at this, and tried not to show how it made his ribs crack. “But I’m not interested in Moody’s team.” James wasn’t convinced, but he didn’t press the issue. For that, Sirius was glad. He didn’t want to bring up the fact that Moody had probably dealt with enough Black’s in his lifetime, and Sirius doubted he had the ability to convince the ex-auror that he was any different.

“Well, I should run. I promised Remus I’d make it to lunch with him. He’s been feeling down lately, the full moon is fast approaching.” Sirius said gravely. James nodded all too knowingly, and told Sirius to bid his friend hello from him.

James was left alone with his thoughts, trying to prepare himself for the impossible task of pleasing Alastair Moody.

* * *

 Lily should have been happy. She was happy, in a way. Her and Eddy had moved into their own place just last month, and today they had finally finished unpacking everything. The flat was impressive enough, courtesy of the Parker family, but something about it just didn’t feel right to Lily. She was sure she probably just wasn’t used to it yet. It would begin to feel like home soon… Hopefully.

She had gotten a new job in the nearby town of Cokeworth, an industrial town for the most part. It look dismal at best, but Lily found it quaint in its own way. She had found only a temporary secretarial position, but it was decent. It paid well enough, and Lily was happy to have work regardless of how mind-numbingly dull it was most of the time. She liked to walk about on her lunch break, looking at the small, grey shops. She walked through the neighbourhoods that all looked similar, with uniform brick houses all in a row. She passed a road named Spinner’s End, but had no inclination to travel down there. She continued until she found a patch of green, which was odd for the grey area.

There was a small playground on the grass, with a swing set and a shiny silver slide. Lily could see herself playing on those swings when she was a little girl. In fact, she could almost see it exactly; Lily, with her red hair long and unruly, laughing and screaming as she kicked herself higher and higher. A girl, a friend of some sort, was swinging beside her, her brown hair chin-length. She was calling be careful Lily! Which only made Lily laugh louder.

The image faded softly, and Lily shook her head. She stared at the swings, trying to remember why they seemed so familiar. She decided that maybe her lunch break would be better spent back at the office.

The rest of her day passed by without any issues. After work she had plans to go into the city to find a birthday present for Eddy. His birthday had been yesterday, but Eddy always spent Sunday’s golfing with his best friend Seamus, and told Lily he’d prefer to have dinner with her and his parents Monday night. She had spent all of Sunday browsing around the city, looking in shop windows for anything that Eddy might like, but had been unable to decide between a lovely cashmere sweater and a new silver watch.

She was supposed to have made a decision by the time she was finished work, but Lily was still stuck. She knew both were a little out of her price range, but Edwin was a man with expensive tastes. She just couldn’t figure out which one would make him happier. She decided she’d run to the city and look at both presents again, hoping she’d make up her mind by then.

“Sweater or watch?” She mused to herself, peering in store windows. “Sweater is more personal, says _I know your style and I want you to be warm and stylish_. But the watch is sleek and elegant, it says _you are a very important man with very fine tastes who is far too busy for any of you._ That’s it, I’m decided. I’ll go get the watch.” She set off towards the jeweler.

She glanced at her own watch- which was much plainer than the one she had picked out for Edwin- and saw that she was running late. She cursed under her breath; Lily Johnston was never late. She took her phone out to text Edwin to confirm the time of the reservation.

There are few things that Lily Johnston is very certain about herself: She is never late, she is never unprepared, she never complains, she never picks fights, and she is never clumsy. She is very sure about these things… Or at least she had been, until today. Now she finds herself running late, in a hurry to pick out a birthday present for her fiancé, and slamming straight into a complete stranger on the street, knocking herself right off her own feet.

She was falling, about to crash very ungracefully onto the sidewalk. An arm sprang out and grabbed her, yanking her back to her feet.

“I’m so sorry!” A man said, helping her regain her balance. “It’s my fault, I wasn’t looking where I was going!” Lily looked up into the man’s eyes and found herself short of breath. Those hazel eyes were more familiar than her own.

* * *

 “I want to start off by thanking you for this opportunity, sir.” James said politely, standing in front of the menacing man. “It’s an honor to be considered for this position. The possibility of working under you is…” He was cut off abruptly by the wave of a gnarled hand.

“You don’t need to kiss my ass Potter, your field work has impressed me enough. Sit, boy.” Moody commanded, and James sat. “Why did you apply to work for my team? And none of that _I’m honored_ bull shit. Why should we want you?” Moody fixed him with a piercing gaze, which unnerved James. He cleared his throat once, gathering strength.

_You know you can do this James._ A soft voice whispered, reverberating from some distant memory. He couldn’t place the voice, but it gave him a small sense of confidence.

“Your team features the best of the best. I’m not ass-kissing, I’m stating a fact. Your team consists of the strongest, the most intelligent, the most skilled. And I may not be any of those things, but I know I am a damn good soldier. I know that I’m one of the best duelers in my graduating class. I know I’ve completed dozens of successful missions within my first six months here. I applied for your team because I know I belong on your team, if I may be so bold.” James paused to catch his breath, hoping that he didn’t come off as too rude. Moody continued to stare at him, so James continued.

“We’re in a war sir, as you’ve noticed. Your men and women are on the front lines. Your team has suffered massive casualties. You have the most intelligent members working undercover, and the strongest members are building up walls and safe structures, and the most skilled are protecting muggle cities without their knowledge. You need brave soldiers, you need _me_ who’s ready to fight. Who wants nothing more than to be on the front lines, helping to make a difference, ready to fight with Voldemort himself. That is why you should want me, sir.” He finished strongly, meeting Moody’s eyes. He didn’t shy away from the one magical one, even though it seemed to look right through him.

“Well Potter, you give a fine speech.” Moody said, his face showing no emotion. He shuffled to his feet, his wooden staff helping support him. He walked around to James’ side of the desk, glaring at the young man. “Last week, twelve of my men were killed. Six were killed during battle, four were discovered while undercover, two were ambushed while securing a muggle town. Of the four who were undercover, three of them had been tortured so viciously they were not recognizable.” Moody’s face didn’t show any emotion at the casualties. “That was all in one week.”

“I understand the risks, sir.” James said, maintaining eye contact. “And with all due respect, those twelve deaths are the reason why I need this position even more.”

“A death wish? I didn’t take you for the kind.” Moody growled, something flickering in his eyes. Disappointment? Anger?

“No sir, not a death wish.” James said, trying to appear calm. “That’s twelve more people to fight for, twelve people whose deaths need to be justified. Twelve people killed, twelve families destroyed. Twelve more reasons to want to kill every last death eater out there.” James’ voice didn’t waver, his glare didn’t budge. He looked at Moody evenly, trying to read his expression.

The older man surged forwards, and James had the sudden thought that Moody was attacking him. He stood up, hand reaching for his wand. Moody didn’t attack him, only stuck one gnarled hang out in front of James. James shook it reluctantly.

“Welcome aboard, Potter.” James’ face broke out in a large grin. He did it, he actually did it! “We meet Monday evening at 5:30. Don’t make me regret signing you on.”

“I won’t sir!” James said enthusiastically, and Moody waved him out of his study. James felt like he was floating on a cloud of air. He had to tell Sirius.

James and the boys spent much of the weekend celebrating. It so happened that none of them had been deployed on a mission for the weekend, so they all had a chance to celebrate. They went to the pub around the corner from headquarters, the same place they had celebrated their inauguration six months ago. James reflected on how different they all looked in such a short time; James’ face was still seriously scarred. He had refused to let to healer touch it up, because he was a soldier dammit, he wasn’t supposed to look pretty. Peter was still adorning a sling from his last mission, although his arm was healing up nicely. Remus had large shadows under his eyes and looked like he hadn’t slept in weeks- he probably hadn’t either, the researching team spent many long hours studying battle plans. The healer’s had been unable to regrow half of Sirius’ left ear, since it had been singed off by dark magic. It used to be black and charred around the edges, but that had faded with time and plenty of ointment, as did the majority of his scars.

James got piss drunk, mostly because he knew once he started with Moody on Monday, he’d have very few chances like this again.

The rest of the weekend flew by incredibly fast. Before he knew it, it was Monday. He had decided to spend his afternoon in the muggle city, try and get his mind off his nerves. He wasn’t sure what to expect from Moody’s team. He knew that the people were tough and intimidating, reminding him faintly of quidditch tryouts his first year joining the team. He wandered around aimlessly, grabbing a quick bite to eat, and even buying himself an ice cream cone.

He glanced at his watch aimlessly before noticing the time. It was already five o’clock, and it took at least twenty minutes to get back to headquarters. He’d have to try and get a cab, he thought. And then it hit him. Well, she hit him, more precisely. He hadn’t been looking where he was going, and she mustn’t have been either, and they collided. He watched her slip and reacted quickly to keep her from hurting herself.

“I’m so sorry!” He said quickly, helping her regain her balance. “It’s my fault, I wasn’t looking where I was going!” They met eyes, and James was transported. He was thrown into a memory, as if her eyes were a Pensieve.

_He had been looking for Lily for over an hour. It was a stormy day, and the post had been late. Owls were delayed by thunderstorms, and it wasn’t until after lunch when most of the post came in. Lily had received a letter, and James wasn’t paying enough attention. One minute she was there, the next she was gone. He knew he was supposed to be in transfiguration right now, and that McGonagall would kill him for being late, but he couldn’t go to class without finding Lily. The feeling in the pit of his stomach told him something was wrong._

_If only Filch hadn’t confiscated the map. They were working on getting it back, but hadn’t been successful yet. So James was forced to resort to searching Lily’s usual hiding spots manually. He finally found her in the astronomy tower, sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her head was buried in her knees, her arms crossed in front of her legs. A flash of lighting illuminated the scene, and James noticed the letter still clutched in her hands._

_He approached her slowly, not sure what to say. “Lily, is everything…” He was cut off by a loud sniffle, and he couldn’t bring himself to continue. She looked up at him slowly, but James could barely make out her face in the darkness. He stepped closer and another flash of lighting illuminated her face, highlighting her red eyes and the track of tears cascading down her cheeks. She sniffled again, and James crossed the room quickly._

_“Go away,” She protested weakly. Her voice was quiet and broken. He ignored her request and sat next to her, pulling her closer. She let him wrap his arms around her shoulders, pulling her closer. She cried into his shirt, and James could feel her tears dampening his shirt and his heart. He hated seeing her hurt like this. He glanced down at the letter and could see one line._

_“Our deepest condolences at your loss…”_

_James’ heart broke for Lily. He held her tighter and whispered softly. “I’m sorry Lily, I’m so sorry.” Tears pricked at his own eyes. He didn’t know what he’d do, if he got that letter, if one of his parents…_

_“It’s my fault.” She said softly, clinging to James. “It’s all my fault.”_

He snapped out of it, shaking his head to clear it. The memory was fading with each second, but its ghost lingered in the back of his head. He ignored it and tried to tune back into reality. The girl was smiling at him, saying something…

“No, it’s all my fault! I was texting and walking, which is generally a bad combination. Normally I’m not this clumsy!” He smiled at her, feeling more comfortable and at ease.

“Well, if it’s all your fault, maybe you should buy me a cup of coffee to make up for it.” He smiled at her cheekily. She narrowed her eyes, looking annoyed, but James could see her fighting a smile.

“Is that so? Well then, I’ve changed my mind. It’s all your fault.” He chuckled at her fast reply and watched her crack a smile.

“If that’s the case, I suppose I own you a cup then.” He watched her cheeks turn pink, and couldn’t help but admire how adorable she looked. Adorable and oddly familiar…

He mentioned a coffee shop just around the corner, and he watched her bite her lip in contemplation. He found himself analyzing that lip a little too closely… He was surprised when she nodded yes, a small grin on her face. He wasn’t expecting her to say yes, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t pleased. He smiled widely and led the way to the café.

* * *

 Lily still wasn’t sure why she agreed to this. It had seemed harmless enough, accepting the man’s offer. It was just a cup of coffee right? There’s no harm in that, she tried to convince herself. She could admit that he was attractive, but that meant nothing. He had a rugged look about him, something she normally didn’t find attractive. Lily was interested in clean cut men, not ones with messy hair and stubble. Still, there was something about him. He was young, probably close to Lily’s own age, but the lines on his face made him look much older. His eyes looked old too, as if he had seen more than his age would lead you to believe. He had an impressive scar that spanned across from his cheekbone to his jaw, and she could almost make out a few fainter ones on other parts of his face. _Probably a bar fight_ , Lily had thought absently. It didn’t mar his good looks; in fact, it seemed to enhance it. The last thing that stood out was his square glasses, which gave him a very dignified look, clashing incredibly with his unruly hair.

She felt her gut flop as she realized she was staring at the man she was walking beside. It meant nothing she reassured herself. Just a cup of coffee. The light reflecting off her engagement ring distracted her, filling her with doubt. She tried to brush it off as they walked through the doorway of a small café. It was the kind where you ordered at a counter, but a waitress would deliver your cup to a table for you. The line moved forward. She was surprised when the man she was with ordered for her. She watched as he ordered himself an earl grey with milk, and her a cup of Darjeeling white tea with two sugar cubes.

“How’d you know that?” She asked him with a piercing gaze.

“How’d I know what?” He asked innocently, guiding Lily to a table.

“How did you know how I take my tea? Have you been stalking me or something?” She was surprised by her demanding tone. Lily Johnson was hardly demanding.

“I haven’t been stalking you, I promise,” He said, an amused smile playing on his lips. “Lucky guess I suppose? It just seemed… right.” His tone suggested that he wasn’t entirely sure how he knew either. She glared at him for a moment longer before realizing that she was acting entirely out of behaviour. Lily Johnson hardly ever glared at people, let alone someone who just bought her a cup of tea! She dropped the issue. Perhaps she had mentioned it on their walk over. The waiter came by to bring them their cups, and Lily was momentarily lost on the aroma of the pale orange tea.

“I’m Lily by the way,” She said, after a moment of comfortable silence. She adapted a posh accent, extending her hand out in an overly exaggerated manner. “Lily Johnson, pleased to make your acquaintance,”

“James Potter, and the pleasure is all mine,” He replied in an equally as silly accent, shaking her hand once firmly. Lily dissolved into a fit of laughter.

“Sorry!” She said between giggles. “I’m not laughing at you. It’s just a tradition that my mum had taught me when I was a little girl. She always told me that was the polite way to introduce yourself.” She took a sip of her tea, and didn’t stop to question how he knew the response to her silly game. For all she knew, most children were told that when they were younger.

“Trust me, I know all about silly traditions. My mates and I had one that we’d do every year at the beginning of the school term. We’d always pull this ridiculous prank where we’d turn certain stairs into trick steps that would…” he cut off abruptly, looking surprised at himself. He sputtered for a moment, before saying, “Sorry, I shouldn’t be saying any of this. Top Marauder secrets, of course!”

Lily couldn’t help but laugh at the adorable way his cheeks tinged red. “I shan’t pry,” She promised, although her mind wandered at what the prank could possibly have been. She had never been interested in pranking herself, thought it cruel and thoughtless, but the images her mind conjured made her giggle regardless. Students, walking up a grand staircase, and every time an unsuspecting pupil landed on the step, their hair would turn a violent shade of purple and frizz out in an awkward afro. _Ridiculous_ , she thought, waving the memory out of her head. _No, not the memory. The imagination._ She corrected her train of thought crossly.

“Do you attend school around here?” He asked conversationally. She shook her head.

“I just graduated secondary school last year back in Bristol, before moving out here. I was going to look into a college, but there was nothing I really felt passionate about studying. I’ll probably end up being a housewife, like my mum.” She smiled, although she sensed a small hint of disapproval in the stranger’s eye. She had to stop herself from chewing him out, which was very unlike herself. “And yourself?”

“I’m a recent graduate myself, actually. I’m not in post-secondary either, but not because I couldn’t find something I was passionate about. More like, the one thing I was passionate about couldn’t be taught in school. Do you work around here, or are you just canvassing for a husband to make you a housewife?” His tone was jesting, but Lily could feel her blood pressure rising. She had no idea how this boy got under her skin like this! Lily was usually an even-tempered girl. James Potter seemed to know how to wreck her.

“I’m working right now, thank you very much!” She replied indignantly, and was peeved by the sight of his grin. Was he proud of himself and the way he managed to get her worked up? She was reluctant to admit to him that she had already found a husband, and subconsciously tried to hide her left hand under her right. Of course, that only drew James’ attention to the rock on her finger.

“Working to find a husband, perhaps.” He mused, staring pointedly at her left hand. His eyes flickered up to hers, and she thought she registered something else in his eyes. Disappointment perhaps? It was gone so quickly Lily was hardly sure it was there at all.

“It’s not like being a housewife is the worst thing that could happen to someone, Potter.” She said bitingly, glaring daggers at him. “And just because I’m engaged doesn’t mean that I can’t have a decent job in the meantime! Eddy supports my choice to work for now, and whenever I’m ready to settle down I will, and it’s none of your business!

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you Lily,” He said softly, his eyes looking solemn. “I’m just trying to get to know you. Small talk, you know? Apparently I just can’t help but act like a prick.” Something in his eyes captivated Lily, and she momentarily forgot she was royally pissed at him. He did appear to look very sorry. She took another sip of her tea, letting the warmth calm her down. She took a deep breath and began again.

“I work at an office in Cokeworth. I’m only a temp worker right now,” She conceded. “But I type 100 words per minute you know, and I’ve been told that there are a lot of secretarial prospects that’ll be available very soon. They may sound very dull to someone who refers to himself as a _marauder_.” She quirked her eyebrow as if daring him to agree with her. He shook his head with laughter in his eyes. The mood seemed to have shifted 180 degrees within a few minutes. Lily had the feeling that it was a common sensation with James.

““Not at all actually, 100 words per minute is very impressive. I’m lucky if I get ten!” They both chuckled. “That’s alright though, in my field of work typing really isn’t the most useful thing.”

“What is it you do?” Lily inquired, and James looked as if he wished he hadn’t said anything. He shrugged lightly, trying to wave the question off.

“I do a little bit of everything, now and then. Mostly just a lot of running around in my opinion. Always keeps me on my feet though, and I can’t complain about that.” Lily could tell he was evading her question.

“Well Potter, I can’t help but feel like you’re trying to keep secrets from me,” She mock-scolded, causing James to grin cheekily. She knew she shan’t pry, that it was impolite to meddle in a stranger’s business. Still, she found herself blurting out her teasing remarks anyways.

“What’re you gonna do Evans, deduct points from me?” He chortled, throwing a wink her way for good measure.

Lily had laughed along with him until realizing he had made a mistake. “Evans?” She asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“I’m sorry,” James blurted, his cheeks filling with colour. “You just reminded me of someone from my old school.” He explained.

“No need to apologize,” Lily insisted, leaning towards him to brush his hand that lie on the table. She didn’t think about why she was pulled to doing that. “I’ve been thinking the exact same thing. You remind me of someone as well, although I just can’t put my finger on it.” As she brushed her fingers against the back of James’ hand, an electric zap shocked her fingertips. She pulled back quickly, examining her hand as if it had betrayed her.

“Bloody hell!” He exclaimed, standing abruptly. Lily was glad that they had both already finished their tea, because James might’ve upset their drinks with the brashness in which he stood. “I’m so _bloody_ late! Merlin Moody is going to _skin me_ for missing this meeting!” His hands jumped to his head, pulling on tufts of hair as if that would help him travel back in time. Lily had the feeling this was a common habit of his, judging by the state of his hair. She smiled slightly, trying not to show it. She didn’t feel like James would appreciate it.

“Whoa, you need to calm down,” Lily said, standing as well. She placed a reassuring hand on James’ shoulder, causing him to jump. He seemed to relax after that though, so Lily left her hand there. “Your boss won’t murder you for missing one meeting, will he? Did you have a presentation to do or something?” James shook his head wordlessly. He looked extremely stressed out.

“I just- I really need to go. I’m sorry, it was very nice to meet you Miss Lily,” He pulled away from her, and Lily’s arm dropped to her side. She felt something tugging at her as she watched him leave, a feeling she couldn’t identify. She had only just met him; sure he was attractive, but it wasn’t like she was in _love_ with the damn guy. There just seemed like there was a strange connection between the two of them that was desperate not to get severed. Lily watched as James disappeared out the doorway and out of her life. With a slice, that string that connected them was chopped in two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that updates take forever! I have a habit of starting a story, and then as soon as I get invested in it, another incredible idea pops in my head that demands to be written. I am determined to finish this story though, so please hang on dear readers.  
> This chapter is a bit longer than I had intended, I just couldn't decide where to cut it off! Feel free to leave me a message and let me know what you think :) I can always take constructive criticism, and I appreciate anyway you can help me grow as a writer. Thank you, and happy writing,
> 
> Hayleekins


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